Culture Communication Forum celebrates Korean culture's global appeal
Contest winners highlight emotional bonds, traditional arts as keys to K-culture's lasting influence
"Jeong is not flashy, but it lasts. It can't be explained logically, yet it moves hearts," said Cui Meiling during her award-winning presentation at the Corea Image Communication Institute's annual Culture Communication Forum on Thursday.
Cui, a Chinese student at Korea University, won first place in the event's Korean-language presentation section, where she singled out "jeong" — the uniquely Korean sense of deep emotional connection — as the most sustainable element of Korean culture. She drew from personal experience, recalling how a stranger offered her an umbrella on a rainy day.
"The future of K-style isn't about glamor — it lies in the 'jeong' between people," she said at the Grand Hyatt Seoul venue. Cui won the grand prize with 21 out of 56 audience votes.
This year's forum featured a content-based competition centered on 'sustainable K-style,' with participants offering creative interpretations of Korean culture through a sustainability lens. The contest ran for three months through May 30 and drew global entries across three categories: Korean-language presentations, long-form video and short-form video.
Thursday's event featured four finalists in each category, with winners determined by live audience voting. Around 60 diplomats, business leaders and cultural figures were in attendance to participate in the vote and celebrate the growing global reach of Korean culture.
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology President Lee Kwang-hyung opened the ceremony by recognizing CICI's 22-year commitment to cultural exchange and praising Chair Choi Jung-hwa, whom he called Korea's 'civilian cultural foreign minister.'
"Twenty years ago, we talked about a 'Korea discount.' Now we talk about a 'Korea premium,'" Lee said. "That transformation is driven by culture and the arts, supported by institutions like CICI."
Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto delivered congratulatory remarks in Korean, calling the forum "a precious opportunity to explore sustainable K-style through music, food, film, drama, art and beauty."
"Korea has become a soft power powerhouse — and not the fleeting kind," she said. "It's important to reveal the rich history and values behind that soft power."
In the long-form video category, China's Jiang Yi-ling won top honors for "K-Style, Building the Future," which explored eco-friendly fashion, recycling and sustainable tourism. The project earned 18 of 51 votes to secure a 3 million won ($ 2,200) prize package, including 1 million won in cash.
Oh Sang-woo claimed first in the short-form video competition with 18 of 53 votes for his hand-drawn animation "K-Style: The More We Love, The More We Share!" that illustrates how collective engagement can spread Korean culture around the world. The award included 700,000 won in cash as part of a 2 million won prize package.
Before the winners were announced, Japanese Ambassador Koichi Mizushima praised the contestants for their work. EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez noted that the participants had 'gone beyond the Korean language' with their 'outstanding' content.
'You are all ambassadors of Korean culture,' she added.
The ceremony concluded with a pansori performance by Mafo Laure, who sang the "Flower Garden" segment from "Heungbo-ga."
The Cameroon-born French artist, who previously performed at the Elysee Palace for former President Moon Jae-in and French President Emmanuel Macron in 2018, also placed second in the Korean-language contest with her pansori-focused presentation, earning 16 votes.
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